


Molly's Pub

by daisherz365



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: AU, BBC Sherlock - Freeform, Bars and Pubs, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-15
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 23:32:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/804522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisherz365/pseuds/daisherz365
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU Anything could happen here but tonight is a night for fights and drinking. Sherlolly & John/Mary</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I passed a place with this same exact name and a headcannon formed and now we have this. It's quite fun actually. Enjoy :)

Friday nights were always the busiest nights for it was the start of the weekend. Everyone was getting off of work and hoping to find somewhere to just relax and maybe drink a little. Molly’s Pub was one of those more populace places that seemed to always be open and willing to ease anyone’s need for a good meal and a pint at a pretty decent price.

It also helped that the ladies working behind the bar weren’t too bad to look at either. The owner, Margaret “Molly” Hooper split her time between behind the bar making sure that all of the orders were filled and out on the floor chatting up customers who she knew and some newcomers who she felt needed to accompany in a way to make them feel welcome.

Tonight she was doing a little bit of both. Her hair changing up just as much as what she did. She’d leave it down when out on the floor chatting up folks, refilling drinks and then it’d go back up into the pins she had secured in her black apron that covered her jeans. Her light blue flannel covered her form nicely. A cotton white shirt under it. Only visible in the slightest. She was comfortable enough.

This place had been hers since she turned twenty three. Passed down from her great aunt Molly – hence the name of the pub. Luckily her aunt had been surrounded by people who genuinely loved being around her and this fine establishment or else she would have had a near breakdown the first week that she found herself behind the bar.

She had several people there to help, especially when she had to go back up to Bart’s to help with a death or two. There was something much more difficult to talk about. Having this second place among friends was something that made her relax from all of the morbid images that she experienced on her morgue nights. This was home for her. It had always been before she even inherited it.

She smiled at an older gentleman name Charlie who always came on the Friday’s just for chips and variety of sauces they had along with them. He had been a regular as far as Molly knew. She was beginning to move around to make sure all of the other guests were doing alright when she heard the cheerful voice of her second in command behind the bar Mary call for her.

“Your boys are here!”

Molly rolled her eyes at that as she made her way towards the opening that would get her back into the chaos of glasses being tossed down and drinks being made in quick increments only to fill another order. It wasn’t as cool back here as it was out near the tables due to the fact that the vents for the little place where the cooks filled orders were right there, emitting heat. Molly began to unbutton her flannel to try to not get too overwhelmed by the heat.

She smiled at the three men who were seated to her left. They always sat in the same spot. The tallest of the three was now without his deliciously tailored suit jacket. A white crisp button up hung off of him and Molly had to once again deter her focus from him. His eyes were quite mesmerizing to her. She looked at the other two.

The army doctor having finally come back from his time overseas. She had served him many times all with the taller man with the gorgeous eyes, not to mention his cheekbones. The doctor, was a bit of cheeky fellow. Always chatting up Mary when she in. By his appearance it seemed like he would be staying for some time. A grey shirt covering his shoulders, a military cut brown jacket thrown over the chair he was sitting on. If Molly were to have walked towards them when she was on the outside she was sure to see some form fitting slacks on him or perhaps a pair of jeans. He deserved comfortably enough for still seemed to have that soldier look to him.  

The last being the only actual police enforcement in the entire place. A newly christened Detective Inspector. His hair dark , his face always looked so worried to her but she never tried to pry into anything he was getting into work wise or not. He was sweet enough to keep her attention while she worked around them.

“What will it be, gents?” She asked them as she picked up a glass and began to wipe it out. Mary had a couple of them placed face down on the bar. Only three. She was always so prepared.

The army doctor and the detective inspector both said, “The usual” while the gorgeous and sometimes mysterious fellow muttered, “scotch”. Molly with the help of Mary prepared their orders along with a large order of chips knowing that everyone needed to eat something while drinking the sauce no matter if you were a lightweight or not. They always ordered more.

Molly pushed the scotch over to the disinterested curly haired man. His hand catching it as always. He never looked he just always did. She watched him toss it back with a scowl on his face. “Not to your liking, Mister Holmes?” She asked him as she nodded at a gentleman who had just ordered a strawberry daiquiri for his girl, they were newcomers. Molly turned moving to the other side of the bar to grab the shaker and ice along with the other things she needed to quickly make the drinks.

“Fine.” He muttered.

“What’s got your panties in a twist, Locky?” Mary asked him. Molly knew that the woman knew of the Holmes longer than she had so stayed silent, focusing on pouring the drinks in the glasses and walking around Mary who had stopped right in front of Sherlock with a look of irritation on her face. Molly tried to hide her amusement at the continuation of what always happened whenever the man was here. Molly was always nice and sometimes tried to flirt with him. She knew she wouldn’t get anything edge wise but it was still fun to do. He was always rather uncomfortable especially if John, the doctor always present at his side would egg him on about asking her to dance.

She presented the couple with their drinks; one daiquiri and another pint of Guinness for the fellow before trailing back over to the gentlemen to refill their pints. Sherlock hadn’t asked for another one. He rarely did. The small movement of his hand tapping against the wood of the bar caught Molly by surprise. He wanted another.

If he hadn’t like it, what would make him want another? This left her a bit befuddled but she went over to him, grabbing his glass and pouring him another on the rocks. She passed it back to him, stealing one of the chips (the bowl almost empty now).

Sherlock had muttered something to Mary but Molly hadn’t caught it, neither had Mary decided to divulge the information with her. Instead she moved over to John and began flirting with him. The man looked delighted and Molly had to stop herself from commenting on this little thing they had going. They never did anything but it was rather obvious they clicked well.

Sherlock attempted to catch her attention just as another group on the outside was requesting her for an order. They had just came in. She usually gave people enough time to mull over what they wanted before going out to serve them but these people always came in and were abrupt about making their presence known.  Everyone turned quiet as they looked between the bartender and the group of men. All of them with a glint of mischief in their eyes. There was a look on Molly’s face that probably was closer to the scowl that Sherlock was giving not too long ago. She paused a moment to grab the tray that she would carry over there with their drinks. She already knew what they wanted. They always ordered the same thing.

Mary was there at her side mumbling in her ear, making sure that she would be fine to this again. She had done it a total of thirteen times in the past two months. A fourteenth time wouldn’t kill her or anything. Well, it could. These were dangerous men. They had turned some of the best places to shambles in a matter of moments. They were all killers decked out in the devil’s suit. _Westwood_. Molly never commented on it, no matter what they said to her. They had said plenty before.

“I’m fine, Mary. Just take care of the other guests while I’m dealing with them.” Molly muttered.

“Molly, sweetheart we aren’t getting any younger over here!” The sickeningly sweet voice of their leader, James or Jim as he liked to be called. She rolled her eyes at him not caring in the slightest if he saw her or what he planned to say to her about it. She really didn’t care about him. She wanted to get him out of her home as quickly as she could however.

As she went to grab the tray of seven pints filled to the brim of Guinness, three orders of the savory Jack Daniel’s barbeque sandwiches, and three orders of chips with the house sauce, a bit of a shiver went up her arm as she felt the touch of an unfamiliar cool hand. She looked up to meet the icy orbs of the usually silent Sherlock Holmes. “Allow me.” He told her, taking the tray out of her hands before she could even begin to protest. _What was he doing?_ She wondered as she circled around the bar, ducking under so that she could move back out as he moved away from the bar and made his way around to the corner where Jim and his minions sat.

It was fairly quiet in the place apart from the sound of people chewing but no one said a word to each other. They continued to enjoy their meals and drinks while the background of the frightening men sitting there lurking nearby. Every other place had been overrun by these guys, not here. Molly wouldn’t allow it. Neither now it seemed would Sherlock Holmes. There was this look in his eyes that she had never caught onto before. She wasn’t sure what it was but she stood by John and Greg as they had got out of their seat to watch the spectacle of their best mate as he walked with a swagger that all he could hold.

There were mutterings between the two men; Jim and Sherlock but no one besides the men could hear it. It all sort of happened really fast. First it seemed like they were just talking, Sherlock handed out their meal and drinks and then stood there speaking. Molly couldn’t catch what was happening but soon enough there was a drink in his hand and he tossed it back before breaking it against the side of Jim’s best friend and second in command Seb. Soon an all-out brawl had started. Greg and John moved over to aid their friend.

Mary had pulled her out of the way as more men came in and out. It was pure chaos. Molly and Mary ducked down behind the bar as to not get hit by any flying glass. There was plenty of that. As quickly as all of that happened, it all stopped. The sound of sirens and gunshots followed and there sat Molly, owner of _Molly’s Pub_ with her best friend in shock as questions were flown her way by men in uniform. Sherlock Holmes sat nearby listening to her recollection of what had happened while John and Mary both cleaned him up. He had gotten most of the hits. Mostly from fists but there were a few ragged openings where he had been cut at on his arms by broken glass. Soon enough, he was standing next to Molly much to the doctor’s chagrin as he began talking. Peering down at her the entire time. “You missed a few things. Jim has been coming around for two months now trying to stir up trouble as his usual and then spoke very ill of the former Miss Molly of this establishment. I only decided that it was very disrespectful and decided that I needed him to shut his mouth. I reacted and he reacted and now we have five dead men and two on their way to booking. Anymore questions?” With the shake of heads from both men. One being Gregory “Greg” Lestrade who was there more to aid in the support of Molly’s answers. “Good. C’mon Molly.” Molly followed him slowly towards the bar for reasons she wasn’t even sure of.

“What are you doing?” She finally asked him. He had went around to the other side once ushering her into the stool which he had been sitting in. “You need a drink.” He told her as he moved around behind her area as if he had worked there for fifteen years. He hadn’t. Molly took the scotch in her hands, looking at him as he tossed one of his own back. How he knew she would like scotch or even drunk it in the first place was beyond her.

She tossed it back slowly still reeling from tonight’s events.

“Is it too late to ask you about that dance?” She asked with a smile. Sherlock had a smirk of his own on his face.

“Next week, Miss Hooper. You’re have to fix a few things around here first.” He noted as he looked around at all the debris that he had may have caused.

“Yes, and you’ll be here to help of course.” She told him, her eyes unclouded from the hysteria that she was under before. She was back to normal for the moment albeit.

He nodded, his hand coming over to rest on her wrist. He smiled just a little. He knew it the entire time. She was rather obvious about it. He hummed, “Yes, I suppose that would be the right thing to do after all this was my doing.”

“We’re on the same page then.” Her eyes flitted up to his, her lips tugging between her teeth biting down on it.

He hummed in affirmation of her thought. He’d stick around a little longer he supposed.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pub reopens after the fiasco with Moriarty's group and dancing is involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello there. I had so much fun writing the first part of this that I of course had to come back for more. I don’t think this will be as long as the first bit but I think it’s just as enjoyable. Or at least I hope so. I have a lot of fun with this little AU. There could be more of it. Be sure to let me know what you’re thinking about it when you finish reading and maybe suggest something that I could do for the next bit of it, possibly? I like requests/suggestions. Do enjoy. – day

-

Molly’s Pub three weeks ago was a place of chaos and shattered pieces of wood, not to mention glass shards nearly over the entire vicinity of the establishment. Now, it looked close to its former glorious. Possibly even better if the owner was being honest. It had been closed for two weeks for repairs which she oversaw all the way. She didn’t need any more screw-ups to happen because she wasn’t around. Molly Hooper was happy to say the least to be back home.

The past two weeks have been exhausting but she felt like it had been worth it in the end. Between all the help she had got with the reconstruction of it and all the phone calls that had come from people as far as Ireland who wanted to let her know how upsetting it was to them to hear that it had gotten demolished in a large part of it during the brawl was very encouraging. Besides that she had a great team of men who were there to help get it done. Contractors were good but she felt better knowing that she trusted the people who were doing it.

John, Greg and Sherlock, among the fray of men like good old man Charlie who knew a thing or two about construction and reassembling pieces back together were quite the crew.  Now, she stood inside of it with Sherlock who was starting to bring in the new glasses and such for behind the bar out of the truck. “Nice work, huh?” He asked quietly as he passed by her to set the first couple boxes down on the bar.

The suit and dress shirt that she had grown accustomed to seeing him wear had been shed after the first day that they started this whole process. He wore a snug pair of jeans, dark trainers on his feet and a grey cotton shirt. “Yep,” She nodded in response to his comment a few seconds ago. She walked around the bar to get behind it, grabbing the box and the box cutter that sat on top of it and sliced it open quickly. She fished out one of the glasses. They were covered in paper to make sure they didn’t break during the delivery. They were good though. She used the same company that the others were from. They were still the best kind that she has ever come across.

She looked up to see Sherlock staring at her with a blanked expression on his face. “Right. There should be a few more. I have a feeling it’s going to be a full house tonight.” She told him as she begun to take out the rest of them. She would have to load them into the dishwasher in the back and wash the others so that they would at least have a little wear to them for tonight. It was the special re-opening since the fiasco with Jim’s group.

Molly had half expected another group like that to try to come around and spoil it before it even happened. No such thing has happened as of yet, but it could happen. It was something that was sitting in the back of her mind ever since they decided that the place was finally ready for re-opening. She was hopeful that it wouldn’t be so bad.

“More than likely, it will be. There aren’t many pubs or bars for that matter around here that stay opened very often especially with surroundings like these. Plus it’s homey, that seems to set the correct atmosphere for people or so I’ve heard.” Molly just shook her head at him. The way he talked sometimes made her wonder where he had come from exactly. He didn’t even look like he grew up in these parts. I didn’t do a lot of talking about life outside of this. To her, this was her life but the way he stare sometimes told her he knew more about her than she knew about him. It didn’t really matter to her honestly.

He was just a guy who happened to cause this sort of spiral to happen and now here they were picking up the pieces albeit together. However, they weren’t together. He was an okay bloke, she could admit that. However that was all she would be admitting for some time. She like her friend Mary was wary of men and their unpredictable ways. However Mary was okay with flirting with Sherlock’s friend John. John was nice enough so she didn’t have to worry about her too much. Molly on the other hand wasn’t sure how to do that with anyone let alone Sherlock Holmes. He was from a different world and she doubt he would interpret it as anything other than what it could be. So, she stayed away from that.

He didn’t say anything more but she could hear him as he walked across the floor back out to the open door to grab more things. She focused on the glasses and unwrapping them so she could continue getting everything ready. It was still fairly early; 11:35PM to be exactly. Not noon but close. If they finished before two it would be splendid. Everyone could go rest until five when the guests started coming through for their drinks.

Molly’s Pub had also been written about in the paper. A big one for the northern lads who had money. She hadn’t the slightest clue how that happened but she had a feeling that perhaps Holmes had something to do with. Why he would go that far? She hadn’t the slightest clue. She decided not to ask in order to not get any hopes up for what he could say to her. It would most likely be something odd like “I want to see this place flourish. It’s a good establishment.” He had said something like that before to John when they thought Mary as well as herself were still out grabbing a few tools form the hardware store. Alas, they were not and heard just the last bit of it before making their appearances known.

It didn’t take too long to get the crates of alcohol in either within the next two hours and by two everyone was ready to take a little reprieve. Molly had a change of clothes in the back, so she would be staying to make sure that everything was good to go but sent everyone else away. Or at least when she went to the back to grab a few more towels to wipe down the tables and booths with a little Pledge furnishing cleaner from a can which she kept in a closet towards the back where there were also a spare room to lie down when there was someone to cover for her at the bar if she was having a particularly bad night. Which does happen every so often when there are guys like Seb and Jim who decide to be a bit more than pleasant. It’s nice to have a little cot and a room away from it all to go back to and try to cool yourself before you do something equally as idiotic.

Molly always kept her cool no matter what. It didn’t matter if someone tried to talk her down especially if they were drunk. She kept a kind face and dealt with it. She imagined people thought she was bit too nice at times but that’s why she had Mary around her. Before she knew her, it was a bit worse for her. Having her around is probably one of the best things about coming to this place and dealing with unkind people. She always has her back and if Molly can have hers, she does. It’s just not always as noticeable.

When she came back out she came to a shocking halt when she saw Sherlock standing over by the jukebox that had been brought it two days ago after the wall had dried from the paintjob that had to be done. It was the same one that was always there. “I thought you had left with John.”

“No. I’m not tired.” He mumbled but hadn’t turned around to talk to her directly. She didn’t really pay him any mind as she begun to wipe down the tables with the lemon scented wood polish. Everything was made of wood pretty much. It would take a good hour for her to get to it all and that just fine. It kept her mind off the big deal that came with tonight. It shouldn’t really be a big deal but when a business isn’t open for three weeks let alone three days people start to wonder if it’s called it quits. She hoped to never have to do that. This was a part of her family’s heritage and she loved it immensely.

Molly had just started on the third table when she heard the crooning sounds of an old blues singer. It was a slow song with a bit of a tempo to it. She had heard it before, but couldn’t place the name of it. She opted to look up to see what Sherlock was doing since he had been the one by the jukebox and no doubt had picked the tune himself.  The surprises kept coming for he was standing beside her which caused her to nearly stumble back if it wasn’t for him reaching out and yanking her towards him. “Are you always so startled?”

“Only when I’m not paying attention. Besides I didn’t think you would be right there. You were just all the way across the room. That’s kind of scary, Sherlock.” She told him quietly as she pulled herself away from him to stand on her own two feet.

He smiled shortly. “Allow me to show my fancy footwork then.” He stated, extending a hand out to her. He was clever, she thought as she placed her towel which really was a rag down on the table. “You want to dance, right now?”

“Now would be a good as time than say tomorrow.” He stated, gesturing with his hand that was extended for her to grab it. Molly rolled her eyes at him but placed her hand in his anyways. He really was a really strange man.

“That’s not the right way to encourage someone to dance with you.” She told him as the song came to a close and another one took its place. It had a bit more kick to it and as the came to a halt near the same space that was usually used for the odd dance or two and sometimes performers if anyone came through and had a tale to tale through songs.

Molly wasn’t all that prepared for what followed but tried to keep up as best as she could as she gripped his hand as they did all these odd ends of turns and dips. It was all so different than what she had seen before. She wasn’t much of a dancer in the traditional sense nor was she one to get down with the rest usually. She could attempt to though. This was eye-opening though. “Where did you learn to do this?” She asked him as he pulled her back up towards the end of their dance.

“What makes you think I took a class?”

“You’re very polished.” She told him quickly as he pulled her back to him and just held her there, the words only just escaping out of her mouth.

“Thank you.” He told her with a tight smile. She was confused but gave him a short smile as she separated from him and quickly went back to her task of wiping down the tables. “However, yes my mother did have me take lessons when I was younger. I detested them.”

“Then why ask me to dance?”

“You needed to relax a bit.”

“I doubt that helped.” She told him as she started to work along the wall where the booths started to circle around the room.

“Probably would have been better if I had a violin. That’s usually more relaxing. Was that stressful?” He asked as he took the can out of her hand and one of the cleaner rags and started to work at the next booth.

“Not much as very enthralling.”

They work silently for a bit before Molly decided to go ahead and head to the back to get ready. She had at least another hour and half before everything would start. Sherlock was going to head out to get properly dressed himself but stopped her before she could disappear from view. “That’s a good thing, you enjoyed the dance?” He seemed to have decided to continue the conversation that had been having an hour ago. She gave him an odd look. To decide to just continue it as if there hadn’t been a break in between the time was something else.

“Yes….” She trailed off eyeing him as she started to walk around to the back.

He nodded before turning abruptly and left.

Molly shrugged as she turned to go get dressed.

 

Three hours into the celebration and Molly had a good momentum going between talking to guests and filling orders as they came in. Everything was going great and though she hadn’t a proper break since allowing the first few in once everyone was there, she was happy. Nothing was going wrong and that made her happy. She didn’t need anything to. This was a success.

Sherlock sat at the bar with John and Greg who had brought his girlfriend with him. His eyes roamed around the room as he tossed back his shot of scotch. He wasn’t looking for anyone in particular just seeing how everything was going. He very rarely did that when he came here for a drink with his companions. It was pleasant to see people actually enjoying themselves for once and soon enough people were dancing. His thoughts moved back to a few hours ago when he had swooped Molly onto that same space of floor and danced with her. He still didn’t understand why he felt like he needed to do that. He had just done it. He didn’t feel any certain way about it but it had seemed good to have someone to dance with.

He didn’t dance all that much anymore. He didn’t see the point of it.

There was something he was still trying to figure out about Molly Hooper, the owner of this establishment. She wasn’t a woman who belonged in a place like this but she seemed to fit there almost perfectly. He had realized it the moment he first stepped foot in this place and was introduced to her a few years ago. Now he knew for certain. The somewhat careful grace she held when chatting with the guests or the way her smile lit up on her face when someone was saying something kind about her aunt the actual Molly in Molly’s Pub. It was everything and he wasn’t sure where to place her a person.

She wasn’t a nobody. Her appearance was adequate at best but the smile changed her completely. It made her seem as if she was floating on the edge of everything all the other men looked for. She was breathtaking and interesting. She had always been in the four and half years that she had been in his presence. She never stayed still all that much, he noticed which is why when most of everyone decided to dance he was surprised to see her stop over beside him and take his shot which had just been refilled and toss it back.

“I need that.” She told him as she leaned against the bar.  

 Molly didn’t think she was bold or anything for doing that. His was the only glass that was still full and he didn’t look to be planning on finishing it any time soon. It was merely a coincidence. She could pour him another shortly. “You should rest more.” Sherlock’s voice broke her from her trance at watch all the people who were enjoying themselves and having a good time dancing along to a rather hip hop-esque song.

She giggled at that. “Yeah, and you should I don’t know be more like John.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

“Because he actually goes after what he wants.” She muttered gesturing to the two of their friends out on the dance floor dancing rather closely together.

“And what do I want?”

“I wouldn’t know. You’re still a mystery to me.”

“Likewise, Miss Hooper.” He told her coming close to brushing up against her, nearly pinning her to the bar except not entirely seeing as he was still a gentleman but they were close enough in proximity, only for those rambunctious friends of theirs to come up smiling goofily muttering drunkenly how much fun the night is. In the end Molly wasn’t sure as to what he was about to do but she did know that she had been very red in the face for the entire night until they closed and even after she got home to her small flat. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Mary sick Molly needs some assistance behind the bar, she didn't know how well having Sherlock Holmes 'help' would go but when an investor comes in hearing about her new drink she wonders how far he's willing to go.

In the weeks that followed the rebuilding of the pub and the grand reopening Molly's Pub has had some of the best nights to date. A wedding reception had even been hosted the previous week. All of the success had made the usual occupants start to think of what could happen next. Mary was as usual very excited about anything happening, and very supportive of Molly who had been thinking of hundreds of things to do. Besides keeping the bar running she doubled at St. Barts but that was a separate entity to anything that she was thinking of doing. She wanted to expand the pub with something that had the name on it. Her name.

In the days that everyone had sat down to talk about what could be done to improve what they had already had going Molly got the idea. "A drink." She whispered to herself, not expecting any of the two people who were there to hear her, or if they did if they wouldn't think much of it. However Mary was her best friend and she latched onto the smallest detail as if it was already something thought out.

"You want one? The usual? What's up?" She asked already beginning to head behind the bar as Molly shook her head smiling softly at the blonde. The other occupant was the eldest person that she had ever wanted to trust information about her business with - old man Charlie.

"No, but bring me a water please. I was thinking of making a brew exclusive to the pub. At least for the moment."

"Your aunt used to talk about it." Charlie told her with a big smile on his face as if it made him smile to know that there were specks of her late aunt in this place still. In truth Molly felt happy whenever he told her something like that. It made her feel like she wasn't alone. Not that she was. Every night she was surrounded by loving people, even if most of the time those people ended up being drunk off their socks.

She just thoroughly enjoyed the idea of having her aunt still close to her. The fact that she had had a similar idea made Molly wondered why she never went along with it. "Why didn't see never make anything happen?"

"Wasn't the right time. The vultures were circling pretty hard when she had mentioned it to me. This place almost didn't exist before you were born. If it wasn't for a few special folks I'm sure we would have closed down before you were even of age." That made Molly sad to know.

In the beginning she hadn't known how she was going to run this place without her aunt's guidance. Now, she couldn't imagine not being in this place. She had people in her corner. Some unexpected sources of aid but she appreciated every single one of them. "I'm glad it's still here. I hope we can keep it going for as long as I'm here."

Charlie grasped Molly on the shoulder in a soothing gesture. He could see that the idea that it would cease to exist at some point would upset the young woman, but he didn't think that she needed to worry about that. This place had grown so much from what he had known it as. As long as the love that was put into it in the first place was still here she needn't worry about anything like that happening again.

"Don't worry, kid."

Molly smiled at him as Mary came back with her water and two glasses of scotch for herself and Charlie. Charlie didn't immediately pick it up.

"What's this I hear about you wanting to brew a drink?"

Molly smiled. She hadn't been too sure about it but this was something she really thought might be able to work. So she asked for a napkin or something so that she could get to sketching out the details at least. Everything else would come later. This would take time and she couldn't wait until it was out there completely.

-

With good things came the bad, Molly realized quite soon. Mary had gotten sick with the flu and would be out for at least a week if they were lucky. Molly had gone over to her place despite the hazard to her own health to give her a package of goodies that should keep her spirits up as well as make her feel better. She was truly a mess but Molly thought she was in pretty good hands without her there to take care of her. She had tried to stay a little longer even though the pub was supposed to be open an hour earlier tonight. It was only as she was leaving that she found the reason why Mary had been adamant that she not stick around and get sick for her benefit.

John Watson was taking care of her. Molly couldn't even be surprised by that. Instead she just giggled as John gave her a short hug before going inside to look after the patient. It hadn't even occurred to her until after to ask where his best mate was in all of this. Sherlock Holmes was a man that she saw very little of but enough to know that it was hard to grasp where his head was most of the time.

Their acquaintanceship was something of a fancy flight of little moments. He had been in and out of the pub since his initial first introduction, and the rescue attempt he did when the Moriarty fiasco had gone on. Nothing had really happened between the two of them and Molly could say with certainty that she didn't know if it ever would, but she was fine with that. He was a good ally to have regardless. A mysterious one at that.

She wouldn't let herself worry about anything of the sort that centered around him. John just happened to be his friend and her friend as it were. Everything else was of little consequence.

She should have begun to worry when she arrived at Molly's Pub to find him standing under the light shade smoking a cigarette. She shook her head at him without asking why he had turned up so early. She was going to have her hand fulls tonight and the nights to come and she didn't see how one extra person being a patron would help her. She continued on and unlocked the door, and held it open for him to slip through before she joined him inside. She flicked on the light as she went and heard him at her heel as she put her bag in the office before heading out to the front to start taking down the chairs.

Sherlock did begin to help her which probably shouldn't have been a shock to her system as he had helped in the establishment before right before they re-opened. However he wasn't dressed as casually as before. Instead he was donning his dress clothes again, sans suit jacket and tie.

Only they were done with that Molly decided to ask him because it had began to bug her. "What are you doing?"

He was grinning at her slightly. "John said you needed help. Your best girl is ill."

"Yes..." She trailed off looking at him a bit shifty. Was he offering his services? Did he even know how to do any of this? He had brought her a drink once but how far did his knowledge go with bar-tending.

When Molly said nothing but kept staring at him, he shifted and sighed. "I thought you were smarter than that Miss Hooper. I'm going to be your Mary until she kicks the sickness."

Molly's eyebrow rose an inch at that. "My Mary? What do you know about keeping a pub?"

"Enough to at least keep track of the order and bust tables."

Molly reached up pressed a hand to her head. "Okay. I'll have to teach you the rest. You're a quick learner I presume?"

His grin widened. He didn't need to answer that.

Molly circled around the bar and began to get things ready while Sherlock rolled up the sleeves on his shirt. "I'll give you a beginners course on the basics. You can leave anything complicated to me until we give you the second lesson."

He scoffed but didn't complain about that.

They spent about thirty minutes going over how to make the more common orders before Molly went up to the front door to unlock it and turn the OPEN sign around so that people knew that they could come in.

About an hour and half into the night Sherlock had found Molly's bottled drink with the homemade label that she had made in the office a few days ago. "Oh, you weren't here we were introduced that. I made a brew. Few kinds actually." She paused as the man inspected the bottle he had taken from the fridge where they were chilling until someone ordered one or a couple as it had been the case. "Just testing it out. People seem to like it." She smiled at him before turning back around to get an order from the back where the cook had just finished a table's order.

She ducked out front to deliver the table in the middle that was full of teens who were barely legal. She would have to remember to look out for them. There were no parents with them as it was sometimes the case. She did card them so she knew who they belonged to family wise and would give a ring if she absolutely had to. There had only been one case so far where a parent pick up had been necessary. For the most part if they weren't being overly stupid she let them crash until a lull came and she got them into a cab.

"Mind if I give it taste?" Sherlock asked once Molly had come back.

He was still holding the bottle of beer. She shrugged. "If you like, don't get drunk alright? I will throw you in my office and finish the night on my own if I have to."

He seemed to find her authorative attitude very amusing. "Noted." He cracked open the bottle and took a swig while continue to look at her. Molly turned away from his gaze out of discomfort, not that from the color that rose to her cheeks when he did. She was positive of that.

"Good." He mumbled.

Molly turned back to him for a moment before she grabbed another set of glasses to fill another set of drink orders. They were about to get their rush. "What?"

"The brew. It's good. I know someone who could help if you want to expand it further."

She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he took another chug of it before placing it on the shelf below the area where they made drinks out of view of the customers. He crossed behind her touching her as he passed to get the strawberries for the spritz mixer that a woman had ordered. Molly could smell the scent he often carried on him. She could smell sweat too and she shook her head of the thought that crossed her own mind before moving to the other side of the bar to chat with Charlie who had been there for the better part of the night.

"What's up Pops?" Molly liked to use that name on him even though he just shook his head at her.

"He's not doing to bad. I feel like he's done it before."

"You think?" Molly inquired as she looked down the way at Sherlock who was doing a spin with one of the drinks before pouring it.

"Maybe. He does seem to be enjoying himself." She sensed something in his tone.

"What are you trying to hint at old man?" She leaned closer to him.

He shrugged. "Nothing, dear. Nothing at all."

Molly rolled her eyes before going back over to Sherlock who gave her an inquisitive look. "Alright?"

"Perfect."

-

As it turned out without Molly's answer about any outside help with her brew see found it anyways.The first sign of it came when she entered her office after a particularly long night. She was trying to decide whether it was worth it to go back home tonight when she found a set of stickers sitting on her desk. They seemed to hold her penmanship with a much fancier surrounding border. 'HOOPER'S' sat at the top center encased a border of golden swirls. Above the name sat the name of the pub in smaller font that mirrored the sign that sat above the door in the front. Directly below expressed the flavor of drink while directly under that told all the specific breakdown information.

It was all very professionally done that Molly had to ask him about it when he came back the next night. She would have called him if she had his number but they had never tried to give out each other numbers. Honestly, Molly preferred the way they came in contact with each other in her own space. Anything outside of it made her anxious. Though things had happen inside that could have been seen as anxious inducing. It seemed different somehow.

"It was you wasn't it?" She asked as Sherlock took off his coat that he had decided to bring this time and left it on the small cot that was in the office. Molly tried not to think too much of him suddenly leaving things of his in her private quarters.

He blinked a moment as if he was surprised she was talking to him this early on today. "The stickers? Oh. Yeah. My brother had them done. He's taken an interest."

"In what?"

"Lots of things, Molly. Usually just me directly but seeing as I'm here frequently it's slowly trickled in. Wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly popped up unexpectedly?"

Molly had no idea he even had a brother. It made her curious as to what he was like. Her curiosity needed to be tapped down but she couldn't help it. There was so little she knew of him. She didn't even know what he did for a living really. He wore suits, that was the extent of her knowledge.

"Tell him thanks then. They're nice. Much nicer than my handmade craft." She giggled.

"He still kept it. I'm sure you noticed that. He's the type who wouldn't keep anything that didn't appeal to him in some way." That was very informative. She nodded as she pulled her hair up into it's usual ponytail so that it wouldn't be in the way.

"Let's get started then."

Sherlock followed her through the motions as always, letting her lead. This was her place he was just a willing participant.

It wasn't until a rather well dressed man came in that anything change in Sherlock. He was fairly easy going even under the pressure of dishing out orders quickly enough to satisfy the customers. Molly noticed the shift in him almost immediately. He just stopped moving when it happened.

Molly having once stiffened in his presence out of fear had the need to make sure that he was okay. She moved down the bar to where he was standing. She pressed a hand to his back. "Sherlock." She whispered.

He didn't flinch away from her touch which she counted as a good thing. He inclined his eyes briefly to her. "Yup?"

She sighed, he probably wouldn't tell her why he was so frigid now so she decided to take matters into her own hands. This was her domain, if there was someone here who was causing problems she would do her best to remedy the situation or force the negative party out.

She approached the man in the pinstriped suit and the brown hair that was styled neatly where he sat in almost direct line of Sherlock at a table. She looked briefly at Sherlock before speaking to the man. Sherlock had returned to manning the bar. She was relieved he hadn't full on froze. She turned back to the man and gave him a small smile. "Hello. Can I do anything for you today?" This wasn't the normal script but this wasn't a normal situation either. She didn't know who this man was. In truth she didn't know several people who came into her pub but this man wasn't a normal customer. He didn't look anything like them.

"I believe so. I can wait."

Molly was confused. What was he waiting for?

"What are you waiting for?"

"Closing time. I need to have a word with you."

Molly didn't know what this was about but she didn't have the time or man power to deal with this right now. "Can I get you anything while you wait?"

"Ah, yes if you don't mind Miss Hooper." He paused, giving her a smile that didn't look the tiniest bit real but all the same was present on his face. "I'll take the Hooper's Ginger brew." This caught her off guard. For someone who had never set foot inside her establishment he already knew of her specialty drink.

She gave him a brief smile before going back behind the bar to get it for him. She checked on Sherlock while she was there. He was doing fine. It was as if he had been thrown into a shock before slowly coming out of it. She was still wondering why, but she could wait until later to find out. She gave the new man his drink, accepted his 'thank you' before going to check the rest of the room for any refills or money pick ups.

Once it was last call and everything slowly trickled out Molly found herself left with just the small amount of crew and the suit man. Sherlock was circling the outer perimeter of the room while Molly took the seat across from the man. He had told her to go ahead while he cleaned up. She had began to protest but she gave him a very awkward pat of reassurance and a smile.

"Hello again." She said, picking up her own drink: Hooper's Hard Lemonade.

The man just nodded. "I think introductions are in order lest of all on my part." He paused and outstretched his hand. "Mycroft Holmes. I have an interest in helping you market your latest brew creations."

Molly heard him but she had stopped mid hand out to grasp his when she heard him say his name. _Holmes_. She found Sherlock's eyes and he just nodded at her as if to say 'yes that would be the brother' without saying it.

Molly opened her mouth to talk but she found she couldn't, so instead she grasped his hand as he just smiled at her. He found this all very amusing. "You're gonna have to give me a moments." She said as she took a large swig of her drink.

"We have about twenty minutes." He told her, looking at his watch.

Molly did her best to get herself together so that they could talk.

"About my brew then." She started.

They sat there talking as Sherlock circled cautiously. When they were done Molly shook Mycroft's hand once more before he exited out the door with only a nod to his brother. She did think that was odd but she also thought it was weirder that Sherlock seemed to be muttering under his breath as she joined him in the office. She leaned against the door looking after him.

"So that was your brother then?" She asked.

"Oh yes. Didn't expect him to show tonight. He knew that I was here." He growled.

Molly didn't know what he was so upset about. Everything turned out well. They were going to meet with Mycroft again next week for a proper meeting with charts and things. He was going to bring that - also she had to do was bring samples. He was going to do most of the work.

"Okay." She breathed. "What's the problem, Sherlock?"

"Nothing." He said quickly before turning around to see Molly staring at him. He sighed. "We don't exactly get along."

"You're kidding." She added sarcastically.

"Ha. I don't kid. Regardless I'll be here when he comes."

Molly began to tell him how that was unnecessary but he seemed to be completely sure that he needed to be. There would be no way to stop him from being there so she just left at that.

He did surprise her on the last night that they ended up working together before Mary's with a peck on the cheek. "This has been an interesting experience. Thank you."

Molly was the one who should have been thanking him but instead she was once again speechless. Was this the Holmes brothers' curse? She shook her head. What world was she living in now? How was she supposed to do with it all?

She had so much to share with Mary the next time she saw her.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been awhile, eh? The has been pestering me since the last chapter but other projects ya know? Anyways I really hope you guys like this new venture. 
> 
> A friend of mine's (Julia; **[ocassionallyawriter](http://archiveofourown.org/users/occasionallyawriter/pseuds/occasionallyawriter)** had tweeted me a photo of the Hooper's Cloudy Lemonade brew awhile back and seeing as it is in fact real I thought it would be cool to use it as a variation for Molly's own professional venture in drink making. You can find out more about it [here](http://www.hoopersbrew.com/index.php) on their website. 
> 
> Also I hadn't even thought about putting Mycroft in this AU just yet but then the idea of having someone behind the scenes of making the brew something much grander had come to mind and I was originally gonna have some sketchy type trying to do it then Sherlock would just dip his toe in there and decide to do it himself. However, Mycroft might be better suited to do it. He knows how to run things in a very business like manner. Enter old brother. 
> 
> Feel free to let me know what you think.
> 
> <3 day


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